Soy-Glazed Braised Brussels Sprouts
35 Minutes
4 Servings
Tare (pronounced tah-reh) is a Japanese seasoning liquid typically made with a soy sauce base, often enhanced by mirin, sake, ginger and garlic. Here, we use those ingredients with Brussels sprouts. We first brown the halved sprouts in butter to develop rich, nutty flavor notes, braise them until tender, then allow the moisture to cook off, leaving the sprouts coated with a salty-sweet glaze.
Don’t stir the sprouts too often in the first step. The key is to let them brown and char slightly in order to produce a rich, complex sauce.
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons salted butter
11⁄2 pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
Kosher salt and black pepper
1⁄4 cup mirin
1⁄4 cup sake
1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
2 medium garlic cloves, finely grated
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 scallions, thinly sliced OR 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro OR both
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high, melt the butter. Add the sprouts and 1⁄4 teaspoon each salt and pepper, then cook, stirring only once or twice, until browned in spots, 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Add the mirin, sake, sugar, ginger, garlic and 1⁄4 cup water. Cover, reduce to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sprouts are tender but still hold their shape, 8 to 13 minutes. Uncover and stir in the soy sauce. Increase to medium and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until the sprouts are lightly glazed, 5 to 8 minutes.
3. Off heat, stir in the scallions, then taste and season with salt and pepper. (Optional: Shichimi togarashi OR toasted sesame seeds OR chili oil)
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PHOTO CREDITS: CHRISTOPHER KIMBALL’S MILK STREET